British woman falls off moving tuk tuk in Kamala, dies after late night in Patong

A foreign woman who fell off from the back of a moving tuk tuk in Kamala early this morning following a late night on Patong’s Bangla Rd, was later pronounced dead at Vachira Phuket Hospital.

Kamala Police were notified of the accident at about 3.30am by the driver of the Patong tuk tuk, who reported picking up a foreign couple in Patong some time before 3am this morning.

The driver of the tuk tuk, identified as 44-year-old Yongyut Damkong, reported that the couple were in an intoxicated state when he picked them up.

“The couple had been on Bangla Rd and were heading to their hotel on Surin Beach,” said Pol Lt Prasert Thongphrom.

“The tuk tuk driver reported that the couple had an argument about which tuk tuk to take and finally decided on the one [driven by Mr Yongyut],” added Pol Lt Prasert.

The accident occurred at the curve near the Kubo Muslim cemetary in Kamala’s Moo 1, and based on testimony from the tuk tuk driver and his wife, police believe that the incident was an accident.

“The driver said that he was driving no less than 40 km per hour when the accident occurred. The woman was rushed to Patong Hospital, and later transferred to Vachira [Hospital Phuket] where she was pronounced dead,” explained Pol Lt Prasert.

“The tuk tuk driver has passed an alcohol test, but we still have yet to test the victim or her partner,” concluded Pol Lt Prasert.

It is understood that the victim is an English woman, who police have only named as Elizabeth.

Pending confirmation of her nationality, the victim would represent the second English woman to have died on Phuket roads within a week, following the demise of a 32-year-old English woman last Sunday who was killed after she was thrown off the back of the motorbike she was on